Yes, it’s right absolutely right! Mumtaz Mahal was indeed buried in Burhanpur before her final resting place at the Taj Mahal. Here’s a breakdown of the history:
- Mumtaz Mahal died due to postpartum hemorrhage in Burhanpur on 17 June 1631, while delivering her 14th child after a labor lasting around 30 hours.
- She had been accompanying her husband during a campaign in the Deccan Plateau.
- Her body was temporarily interred at Burhanpur in a walled pleasure garden called Zainabad, originally built by Shah Jahan’s uncle Daniyal on the banks of the Tapti River.
- It is worth noting that Burhanpur was not intended to be the final resting place for Mumtaz Mahal. Therefore, in December 1631, her body was exhumed and transported in a golden casket to Agra.
- The journey was accompanied by her son Shah Shuja, her head lady-in-waiting, and the esteemed courtier Wazir Khan. In Agra, Mumtaz Mahal was laid to rest in a small building located on the banks of the Yamuna River.
- Meanwhile, Shah Jahan remained in Burhanpur to conclude his military campaign. During his stay, he initiated the planning and construction of a magnificent mausoleum and funerary garden in Agra, which would eventually become the iconic Taj Mahal. This ambitious project took a staggering 22 years to complete.
- The contemporary court chroniclers extensively documented Mumtaz Mahal’s death and Shah Jahan’s profound sorrow at her loss. Following her demise, the emperor was said to be inconsolable and secluded himself in mourning for a year.
- Upon reemerging, he displayed physical signs of his grief, with white hair, a bent back, and a worn face. Mumtaz’s eldest daughter, Jahanara Begum, played a crucial role in helping her father overcome his sorrow and assumed her mother’s position at court.